Magnetic holding rack



y 1965 F. J. BROWN 3,184,655

MAGNETIC HOLDING RACK Filed 001;. 10, 1963 35%| mun l mm 7 M M 11 H J I k f 45 #3 J f 1 INVENTOR 5 N Iv [If-37910 70,

ATTORNEY United States Patent Office Patented May 18, 1965 3,184,655 MAGNETIC HOLDING RACK Ford Jay Brown, Kutztown, Pa, assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 315,158 6 Claims. (Cl. 317-159) This invention relates to a magnetic holding rack and more particularly to a rack having a plurality of pairs of magnets of opposite polarity which cooperate to establish magnetic fields to hold pairs of small, fragile paramagnetic elements.

In the manufacture of small magnetic switches, contacts of paramagnetic material are used. These contacts must be plated with precious metal such as silver and/ or gold to obtain desired electrical properties. The plating is accomplished by conveying the contact elements through an electro-plating apparatus. Inasmuch as the contacts are very small and fragile, conventional clamping type racks are not suitable because of the possibility of damage to the contacts. Further, the small size of the contacts makes it very difiicult to load the contacts into holding racks. Use of conventional magnetic holding racks is not desirable because of the tendency of the individual contacts to axially align themselves in strings along the magnetic field.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved magnetic holding rack.

Another object of the invention resides in a magnetic rack having a plurality of pairs of oppositely-poled magnets for holding small contact elements in spaced relationship without damage to the contact elements.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a rack having an array of oppositely-poled pairs of magnets which function to eliminate axial stringing of the attracted paramagnetic elements.

With these and other objects in view the present invention contemplates a rack having a planar array of pairs of oppositely-poled magnets for holding small electrical contact elements in spaced relationship. The spacing of the contact elements is obtained by providing a pair of paramagnetic brackets having a plurality of aligned holes to receive the contactelements and position the ends thereof against the magnets. Each pair of oppositely-poled magnets establishes magnetic lines of force running through the adjacent contact elements and the sections of the brackets positioned between the contact elements. The magnetic lines of force not only act to hold the ends of contact elements against the magnets but also impart pivoting movements to the contact elements to hold them against the sides of the holes formed in the brackets.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a contact element that is to be held by a rack shown in the other figures;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a magnetic plating rack embodying the features of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view within the circle of the plating rack shown in FIG. 2, particularly illustrating the magnets and the resultant lines of force for holding the contact elements in spaced relationship.

There is shown in FIG. 1 a contact element having a shank 11 with a rounded end 12 and a flattened end 13. These contact elements 10 are constructed of an alloy having paramagnetic properties. It is desired to gold and silver plate a portion of the flattened section 13 with the apparatus shown in the other figures.

A rack 14 for holding the contact elements 10 during a plating operation is shown in FIG. 2. This rack is mounted on arms 16 and 17, secured to blocks 18 and 19 attached to an axle rod 20. Rod 20 extends through bushings 21 and 22 mounted respectively on standards 23 and 24.

The left end of the rod 20 is provided with a hole 26 to receive a locking pin 27. When the locking pin 27 is withdrawn from the hole 26, the rod 20 may be rotated by turning a knurled hand wheel 28. When the hand wheel 28 is rotated 180 degrees, the pin 27 may be again dropped into the hole 26 to permit the loading of the rack 14.

In the position shown in FIG. 2, the rack 14 supports contact elements within a plating solution 29 contained in a tank 31. An anode 32 is positioned within the solution 29 and is mounted on a support rod 33 secured to a bushing 34 mounted on the rod 19. It is apparent that the rod 33 and bushing 34 may be rotated to withdraw the anode 32 from the solution 29 to permit replacement.

Considering now the details of the rack 14 for holding the contact elements in spaced relationship, it includes a fiat plate or frame 36 attached to the support arms 16 and 17 for mounting a magnetized plate 37. Plate 37 is selectively magnetized to provide areas of alternate polarity along its length. This plate 37 could be replaced by a series of small polarized magnets arranged so that each magnet is of opposite polarity to the polarities of the adjacent magnets. Mounted on the underside of the plate 36 is a plate 38 constructed of electrically conductive material which is non-magnetic. Depending from the underside of the plate 38 are a pair of spacer blocks 39 and 40 that are fastened to a rack plate 41 constructed of a paramagnetic material. A pair of spacer blocks 42 and 43 are secured to the underside of rack plate 41 and provide a mounting for a second rack plate 44.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the plate 38 is shown as having a plurality of holes 46 and the rack plates 41 and 44 are also provided with holes 47 and 48 which are aligned with holes 46. The sections of the magnet 37 are designated 37a and 37b to illustrate the different polarities of succeeding sections of the magnet. The magnetic secti-on37a is in effect positioned between a pair of adjacent holes 46 and acts to attract the ends of the contact elements 10a and 10b. Inasmuch as the lower end of the magnet section 37a is a south pole, north poles are set up in the upper ends of the contact elements 10a and 19b. Since these contact elements 10a and 101) are constructed of paramagnetic material, south magnetic poles are set up in the lower extremities of the contact elements, which magnetic poles tend to repel each other and thus force the ends of the contact elements away from each other. The adjacent magnetic section 37b has a north pole at its lower extremity and thus sets up south poles in the upper extremities of and 10d. These south poles establish repelling north poles in the lower extremities of the contact elements 10c and 10d. It will be noted that the magnetic polarity of the lower extremities of contact elements 10b and 10c are opposite; consequently, these lower extremities will be attracted toward each other. I

Further, the magnetic fields set up by the magnetic sec tions 37a and 37b establish lines of magnetic force which run through an upper section of the contact elements 1%, a portion of the paramagnetic rack plate 41, and the upper extremity of the contact element Ittc. Further lines of magnetic force pass through intermittent sections of the conact elements Itlb and the and the intervening portion of the paramagnetic rack plate 44. The cumulative effect of the magnets is that the contact elements 16a, ltlb, 19c, and d, tend to align themselves along the lines of force of the magnetic fields. In so doing, the upper ends of the contact elements associated with each magnetic section are urged toward each other and the lower ends are urged away from each other and toward the lower extremities of the next adjacent contact elements. Each contact element 10 tends to pivot about its upper extremity and is thus thrust into engagement with the inner and outer walls of the holes 46 and 48 formed in the plates 33 and 44. The turning moment imparted to the contact elements forces the contact elements into intimate contact with the walls of the holes and thus rigidl holds them in position.

In use of the apparatus, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pin 27 is withdrawn and the hand Wheel 28 rotated 180 and then the pin is replaced. The rack 14 is thus moved 180 permitting an attending operator to insert contact elements 10 through the aligned holes 48, 47, and 46. The magnetic sections of the magnet 37 will act on the contact elements It to position them in the manner shown in FIG. 3, that is, each pair of contact elements is rotated so that the upper extremities are moved toward each other and the lower extremities are moved away from each other. The contact elements are thus securely held in spaced relationship within the rack 14. The hand wheel 28 is then rotated back to the initial position and the pin 27 replaced. The contact elements are thus held in fixed spaced relationship within the plating solution 29. Cathode connections (not shown) may be made to the plates 38, 41, and 44 to complete the plating circuit to effectuate the electrodeposition of material on the submerged ends of the contact elements Ill.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements of apparatus and construction of elemental parts are simply illustrative of an application of the principles of the invention and many other modifications may be made Without departing from the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a magnetic rack for holding elongated paramagnetic elements,

a frame,

a series of magnets arranged along said frame with each alternate magnet being disposed with its north pole adjacent to the south pole of the next succeeding magnet, and

a bpacket constructed of paramagnetic material mounted on and spaced from said frame, said bracket having a series of holes, each pair of which is associated with one of said magnets for receiving said paramagnetic elements whereupon the tips of each pair of elements are attracted toward each other and the trailing extremities are repelled from each other and against opposite walls of the associated holes.

2. A magnetic holding rack,

a plurality of magnetic poles arranged in a single plane and each succeeding pole being of opposite polarity,

a plurality of paramagnetic plates individuall spaced from said magnetic poles,

each of said plates having holes formed therein in alignment with the holes formed in the other plates for receiving elongated paramagnetic elements,

and means for supporting the plates with the sections between each succeeding pair of aligned holes in register with one of said poles to establish magnetic fields through the paramagnetic elements and the intervening sections of said plates in register with the spaces between each succeeding magnet.

3. In a magnetic holding rack for supporting elongated paramagnetic elements,

a plurality of plates each having a series of evenly spaced holes,

a top plate of said plates being constructed of nonmagnetic material while the remaining plates are constructed of paramagnetic material,

means for supporting said plates in spaced parallel relationship with the holes in each plate being in alignment with the holes in the other plates, and

means for establishing magnetic fields through elongated paramagnetic elements positioned in said holes and said plates to pivot the first ends of the paramagnetic elements of each pair toward each other and pivot second ends of the paramagnetic elements away from each to bind the elements against opposite walls of the holes in the top and bottom plates.

4. A magnetic holding rack for elongated paramagnetic elements,

a plurality of paramagnetic plates having evenly spaced holes formed therein,

a non-magnetic plate having holes spaced in accordance with the spacing of holes in the paramagnetic plates,

means for supporting the plates in parallel spaced relationship with the holes in alignment to receive elongated paramagnetic elements, and

a series of magnetic poles of opposite polarity positioned in alignment with alternate sections formed between said holes of said non-magnetic plates for establishing magnetic lines of force through said elongated paramagnetic elements and the intervening sections of said paramagnetic plates to pivot said elements to move the first ends toward each other and second ends away from each other.

5. In a magnetic holding device for elongated paramagnetic contact elements,

a first non-magnetic rectangular plate having a plurality of evenly spaced holes, each of said holes being of longer cross-sectional area than the crosssectional area of said contact elements,

a second paramagnetic rectangular plate mounted in parallel spaced relationship to the underside of said first plate and having a plurality of holes in alignment with the holes in the first plate and being of larger cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the contact elements, and

a plurality of magnets positioned above the first plate and positioned between pairs of holes, each of said magnets alternatively being of opposite polarity whereupon magnetic lines of force are established through the contact elements and the intervening sections of the first and second plates to pivot the upper ends of said contact elements into engagement with the the inner walls of each pair of holes associated with a magnet and the outer ends of said contact elements into engagement with the outer walls of each said pair of holes.

6. In a magnetic rack for holding elongated paramagnetic elements,

a frame plate,

a pair of paramagnetic rack plates mounted on and spaced from said frame plate and spaced from each other,

each of said rack plates having a series of evenly spaced holes for receiving elongated paramagnetic elements,

a series of magnets of alternate polarity, each associated with a pair of holes for attracting the tips of the paramagnetic elements into engagement with the inner walls of the associated holes, and for establishing magnetic fields through the paramagnetic elements and the intervening rack plates to spread the free ends of the elements into engagement with the outer walls of each pair of associated holes, and

means for selectively mounting the frame plate to rotate and be held in an inverted position to permit the dropping of the paramagnetic elements into the holes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 7/49 Dvorak 317-159 X 5/63 Hobbs.

6 FOREIGN PATENTS JOHN F. BURNS, Primary Examiner.

LARAMIE E. ASKIN. Examiner. 

1. IN A MAGNETIC RACK FOR HOLDING ELONGATED PARAMAGNETIC ELEMENTS, A FRAME, A SERIES OF MAGNETS ARRANGED ALONG SAID FRAME WITH EACH ALTERNATE MAGNET BEING DISPOSED WITH ITS NORTH POLE ADJACENT TO THE SOUTH POLE ON THE NEXT SUCCEEDING MAGNET, AND 